Major Businesses, Livelihoods At Risk As MultiChoice & FCCPC Battle

It is no longer news that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and MultiChoice Nigeria, operator of DStv and GOtv, are engulfed in a protracted legal battle that has to do with pricing.

The FCCPC wants MultiChoice to stop a price adjustment on its subscription packages, made to reflect prevailing economic situations.

The economic situation has forced global streaming giants like Prime and Netflix to not only increase prices but also scale back operations in the country as part of cost-saving measures. It has also forced increased prices in other sectors as industries strive to survive the volatility of the naira (-24.3% depreciation), inflation (up by 34.8% in 2024), rising energy costs, and operational expenses (up by 76.6% in 2024).

In reaction to market forces, on February 21, 2025, MultiChoice notified the FCCPC of its intention to adjust the prices of its subscriptions. The FCCPC ordered a suspension of the move on February 27, 2025.

However, the pay-TV service provider, which directly and indirectly employs over 28,000 people across Nigeria and is the source of business for over 20,000 SME vendors, on March 1, 2025, announced a price adjustment described as the lowest in Africa.

MultiChoice says its Nigerian subscription rates are lower than in other African markets (e.g., $29.81/month for DStv Premium in Nigeria vs. $85.11 in Kenya), suggesting prices align with local purchasing power.

The company instituted legal action at a Federal High Court in Abuja to back the decision on March 3, 2025.

The Court has fixed May 8, 2025, as judgment day.

But away from the immediate narratives, what are the other things at stake in the emerging scenario centered on the survival of MultiChoice amid a challenging economy?

Checks revealed that aside from substantial investments planned for content development, youth empowerment, creative industry interventions, and infrastructure expansion over the next decade, the livelihoods of beneficiaries of the MultiChoice enterprise development programme directly depend on its operations.

Captured in this pivotal scheme are 11 branches powered by over 3,000 staff, 16 mega dealers and their associated dependants, 65 super dealers and the chain of those who rely on them, 800 branded stores, 4,562 retailers and their employees, 1,200 installers, 3,197 Sabimen, 1,200 GOtv canvassers, and 10,000 direct sales agents boosting the local economy in the middle of the increasing rate of unemployment.

These spinoff values are outside the estimated more than 7,700 lives impacted through the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), over $2.2 million invested in education via MultiChoice Resource Centers and DStv Eutelsat Star Awards, N200 million invested in healthcare via partnerships with the Sickle Cell Foundation and SCFN pan-Nigeria network of partner hospitals, and over $12 million invested in sports development ($5 million in the support and production of Super Eagles games between 2018 and 2023, N800 million in support of local club football since 2023, N5 million in support of grassroots football through the Higher Institution Football League & NUGA, and $2.5 million+ invested in the development of boxing between 2015 and 2025, N100 million in support provided as broadcast sponsors for the pre-qualifying tournament in Lagos).

MTF is a shared-value initiative that provides a platform for the creative industries to develop their talent and engage through a multi-tiered approach.

It is one of the investments in content, skills development, and initiatives like the AMVCAs and more, through which the brand has played a key role in shaping careers and driving the growth of Nigeria’s creative industry, especially music, film, and sports—providing platforms that amplify voices, empower talents, and give Nigerian stories a vast stage.

As judgment day beckons, with many keenly watching to see whether “price regulation”—which industry executives warn could destabilize business models and deter foreign investment—would come to be or not, insiders point out that also on trial are the $469 million+ that MultiChoice has contributed to the Nigerian economy through direct and indirect taxes.

That includes the $238 million direct and indirect contribution to taxes from FY15/16 to FY22/23, $15.1 million total contribution as licensing fees to the broadcast sector regulator during the same period, and $53.9 million in other indirect tax contributions between FY15/16 and FY22/23, including Value Added Tax (VAT) and Customs Duties, according to available information.